Estoril Praia received and beat SL Benfica 2-0, rising to the isolated leadership of the Liga Revelação.
In the match played this Friday, October 23, at Real Sport Clube Stadium, Vasco Botelho da Costa started the game with Nuno Macedo on goal, Tiago Manso, João Guerra, Vasco Oliveira and Pedro Empis on defense, Duarte Valente, Afonso Valente and Lucho Vega in midfield, Chiquinho, Ruben Pina and Gilson as more advanced men on the ground.
Estoril Praia started better in the match and after 4 minutes, Lucho Vega took advantage of a lack of attention from the red defense and in the interior of the area made the first for Estoril Praia.
The magician’s offensive flow was maintained and until 20 minutes into the game Estoril Praia had two more striking goals. First by Pedro Empis who, after combining with Chiquinho, makes the ball hit Benfica’s goal post, then by Ruben Pina shooting over Samuel Soares’s goal.
Benfica tried to react, playing in the wings and opting for crosses to the Estorilista area, with centrals João Guerra and Vasco Oliveira resolving all situations.
In the last quarter of an hour of the first half the game was more disputed, with Benfica trying to reach the goal of Estoril Praia unsuccessfully, with Mágico creating danger whenever he reached the last third of the attack, but without materializing, it was at the break with 1-0 on the scoreboard, a favorable result for the Cascais team.
Before second half start Vasco Botelho da Costa moved the team, bringing in Elias to replace Pina and Douglas to replace Chiquinho. The game continued to be well played in midfield, without great opportunities from side to side.
At 60 minutes Benfica is reduced to 10 units, after Martim Neto receives a second yellow card.
At minute 64, Estoril Praia made changes to the team again. Lucas Silva surrenders Pedro Empis and Lucas Macula surrenders Gilson, and it was in a combination game between the two freshest men on the field that Estoril Praia extended the advantage.
In the 76th minute Lucas Silva progressed from the left, made a late pass to Lucas Macula who, on the half-round, gave a shot that only stopped in the bottom of Samuel Soares’ net, the 2-0 was made for the magician.
Winning by two, Estoril Praia continued to press and continued to create danger close to Benfica’s goal. First by Macula and then Lucho Vega they had the opportunity to expand their advantage for the canaries, but without success.
At the end of the match Vasco Botelho da Costa was a satisfied coach, but still saying that “we didn’t play a perfect game, Benfica made our game a bit difficult, we didn’t get the fluidity that is normal. We had a lot of ball losses and we had to run and press to recover it. Benfica played in a way that was not normal in recent matches, with a lot of direct football. It should be noted that we managed to create spaces, impose our football and we managed to create opportunities and score goals”.
Estoril Praia is an isolated leader in the South Zone of the Revelation League, with 13 points after 5 days.
On the next matchday, the Under-23 Magicians travel to Odivelas to face Belenenses SAD, scheduled for 15:00 on October 30
